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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577466">Crimson Regret</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/holy3cake/pseuds/holy3cake'>holy3cake</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Saw (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Amanda needs a hug, Betrayal, Denial of Feelings, Drama, Drug Addiction, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/F, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Grief/Mourning, John is John, Lynn is kind, Mean Mark, Saw Universe with AU elements</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:00:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/holy3cake/pseuds/holy3cake</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Amanda Young has travelled so far, without a friend in the world. What if she'd found a friend when she really needed it? Would it set her on a new course, or was she always meant to meet John? Perhaps her emotions will change, or will this turn out to be her hardest game yet? </p><p>Saw story featuring Amanda, set before and after Saw Universe, with elements of AU thrown in. </p><p>Rated M for drug addictions, heavy drinking themes and eventual smut, readers please be advised!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lynn Denlon/Amanda Young</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi all! I am painfully aware that I have so many WIP's I need to update, and I will definitely do those soon! This was another random spurt of inspiration, and I really love Amanda so i've been wanting to write more of her. Also first time writing a girl couple from Saw so please go easy on me, lol! Anyway, have fun, comments and kudos are always amazing for me so thank you! :) &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Heroin. It’s not a sedative, it’s not a vitamin. It’s an adrenaline filled injection, shooting through the veins of the weakest, and the strongest. A doctor hidden behind a pure white coat, inhaling a line of powder to make it through his guilt. A veteran, traumatized by the images of war, choosing a vein that hasn’t vanished through his biceps to shoot up. A detective, grieving over the loss of his one true ounce of compassion, staring at the needle with a heavy heart. And a girl, framed for the crimes she never committed, piercing her pale skin without a second glance. The only similarity between the four victims was the horror binding them together, and the callous words echoing through their heads.</p><p>“What if I had learned to love?”</p><p>“What if I hadn’t made that mistake?”</p><p>“What if I had protected her?”</p><p>“What if I had never gone to prison?”</p><p>***</p><p>Amanda Young had never understood the concept of love. Her frequent fights with her father, the neglect of her mother. Perhaps she had siblings, but there was no way to know. Nobody had reached out to her for years, even when the neighbours heard frantic door slamming at 4am. She left home at 16, stealing a measly $40 from her father’s top drawer and leaving without so much as a yell in retaliation to her father’s harsh words. She had nowhere to go, no friends to rely on. The only people to greet her on her cold journey was the collection of vagrants at the end of the street, offering her a cardboard box for her troubles. It wasn’t much, but she was grateful for the escape from home. No offer came without a catch, and she found herself fighting off unwelcome advances on multiple occasions, but she soon found a name for herself. Earning a few bruises and cuts for her efforts, Amanda settled in her makeshift blanket under the stars and smiled, knowing for the first time in her short life, she was safe.</p><p>The nights were cold, and the company was abysmal, but Amanda began to build up a tolerance to her new surroundings. Panhandling outside different stores managed to achieve a small amount of cash, but she wasn’t alone. The competition was fierce, and citizens began to avoid the hotspots. Amanda was lucky to scrape a coin from a stranger, but not enough to feed herself. Rummaging through garbage cans wasn’t what she had in mind for herself, but there wasn’t any alternative. Or at least, that was what she’d assumed for herself. After finding a steady diet of rotting vegetables and cold coffee, the darkness threatened to swallow her remaining hope forever, until an unlikely ally came to her aid.</p><p>Lynn Denlon was on her way home from the hospital on a blustery Tuesday evening, eager to return home to Dylan and Corbett. Jeff would most likely still be at work, finishing with his colleagues at the construction site. She wanted to relieve the babysitter, and throw her arms around her adoring toddlers. But as she edged her scarf further over her chin, she couldn’t help but notice a snuffling nearby. It was the sketchy part of town, the part she would normally skuttle past in her black stilettos, but she’d never heard such a strange noise before. Her instincts insisted that she continued moving, frost was settling on her head as she hesitated, but she couldn’t move. Instead, she ventured behind the garbage can towards the noise, still taking cautious steps as she went. Painfully aware of the foul stench in the alley, and the amount of old leering eyes following her movements, she moved with a quicker haste and soon located the origin of the noise. A young girl was head first in another garbage can, her legs bruised and covered in filth. She couldn’t have been older than 17 based on her height and appearance, and Lynn couldn’t help but gulp audibly at her behaviour. At first, she wasn’t sure how to approach her. An opportunity presented itself when the girl slumped out of the rubbish, jumping back in surprise when she saw the woman in front of her. Amanda was mortified, assuming that this woman in fine clothes with no hair out of place was one of the government officials, threatening to kick the homeless community to a new territory again. Lynn could see the terror in her eyes, but acted quickly. In her role as a surgeon, she was used to people squirming and seeing fear in their demeanour. Whilst she still had Amanda in her sights, she pulled her bag over her shoulder and pulled out a box full of leftover pasta. She always forgot to eat at work, her job demanded that she focused solely on her patients, which meant she often wasted a day’s worth of good food. She could see Amanda’s cheek bones poking through her face, and her collarbone was sharp enough to cut anyone that came close. Lynn offered a kind smile and pushed the box across the floor.</p><p>“Here. You look hungry.” Lynn perched above the wet ground, narrowly avoiding the sleet that began to settle. Amanda raised her eyebrows, pulling her tattered hood closer to her face. It took a few moments, but she soon emerged from the darkness to snatch the box.</p><p>“T-Thank you…” A frail voice murmured back. Opening the box, Amanda inhaled the smell of fresh cheese and basil, unable to hold back the desperation in her frustrated gulps as she ate. Lynn stared at her for a few moments, wondering how she was able to stay warm in such frightful weather. She looked as though she would catch her death in seconds, and decided to sacrifice her own welfare in order to help. Pulling her scarf from her neck, she edged even closer to Amanda and held it out to her. It was only small, but it was made of thick designer wool and she knew it would help against the alternative of a bare, bruised neck. Flinching again, Amanda reluctantly took it and immediately wrapped it around her frozen skin. Warm, with the scent of a flower. Lynn gave another wide smile and stood up, turning to leave.</p><p>“W-Wait miss! Y-You forgot your container…” Amanda held up the pot, but Lynn simply turned and shook her head.</p><p>“Keep it safe for me. I’ll collect it tomorrow, when I bring you a new one.” Lynn missed the shocked expression on Amanda’s face as she walked away, the implications of her actions sparking more than she’d ever understand. To her, it was a good deed helping a poor defenceless girl. To Amanda, it was so much more than that.</p><p>Every day Lynn continued her work at the hospital, saving lives and tirelessly working to achieve the best she could. But there was always time for her to visit Amanda at night, bringing plentiful meals in plastic containers. It started to become a habit, Lynn never would have suspected that years had gone by, living the same routine but making time to see Amanda after. Her family didn’t know, and frankly she believed Jeff would never understand. She’d told Amanda as much, and she appreciated the soft nods and hums of reciprocation that she would offer whilst tucking into a new meal. Amanda was now a healthy 19-year old, sleeping in real shelters and making her life bend to her demands. But she always made sure to meet Lynn in their old alley, neither of them specifying a time but always detecting the presence of the other. It was on one particularly snowy night, that Amanda sidled up to Lynn and ate with the older woman’s arm draped around her shoulder for warmth. She’d been annoyed by her touch at first, but now they shared warmth like it was nobody’s business. Lynn rested against her, kicking the edge of the cardboard box Amanda had once called home. She too, had her reservations about sitting in a stinking, freezing alley on a piece of damp cardboard, but she knew Amanda was sorting housing as they spoke.</p><p>“So, how’s Jeff?” Amanda had learnt about Lynn’s family over the years, and whilst she wasn’t very interested in them, she enjoyed listening to Lynn’s soft silky articulation.</p><p>“He’s fine. Well…..I think he’s fine. He hasn’t been home much.”</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“No. He’s been busy at work, and when he comes home he’s always angry and exhausted.” Lynn sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead with her unoccupied arm. Amanda had started to notice that Jeff’s name was never brought up in good faith, and Lynn was starting to loose the light-hearted smile she always sported.</p><p>“You’re too good for him, I don’t know why you stay with him.” Amanda blurted out.</p><p>“He’s the father of my children, Mandy. I can’t just leave him. Besides, I do love him even if we never see each other anymore…”</p><p>“I-I have to go.” Sick of hearing about such a happy nuclear family, Amanda stood up and began to walk away, before Lynn gripped her arm.</p><p>“Hey, wait! Amanda, are you okay?” Lynn noticed that Amanda was breathing a little shakily, but she wasn’t sure why. It was the first time she’d seen the younger woman visibly distressed, apart from the times she was lashing out angrily.</p><p>“I’m fine! Why are you even here, Lynn? Go home to your damn husband.”</p><p>“Mandy, I care about you. I’m not just going to abandon you…”</p><p>“Why?! Everyone else fucking does! Let me go!” Amanda scratched Lynn’s arm, but found herself in an iron grip. Lynn shook her head again, pulling Amanda against her instead of releasing her grip. Her arms pinned Amanda to her body with brutal force, relentless in her attempts to stop her from escaping. Thrashing against Lynn with sharp nails and hard kicks, Amanda knew that despite her acquired skills on the street and newfound strength, Lynn was in a much better physical condition than she was. Her bruises were aching, and she didn’t have it in her to resist any longer. She fell limp against Lynn’s embrace, the smell of her perfume almost wiping out her senses.</p><p>“Amanda, it’s okay. I promise. I won’t leave you.” Lynn murmured against her ear, but she didn’t feel Amanda’s arms beckoning her closer.</p><p>“You won’t leave me, but I’ll leave you.” Amanda thought quietly to herself. And true to her word, a fast approaching police car left Amanda with no doubt that she wouldn’t be seeing Lynn anytime soon.</p><p>Six long, lonely years and Lynn had all but given up hope on seeing her friend again. Chilling images would frequently appear in her dreams, and in some of her waking moments too. It wasn’t just Amanda causing the nightmares, either. A lot had happened in the stretch of time that the two girls hadn’t seen each other, not just for Lynn. Unaware that her friend was sitting in a cell with a needle in her arm, Lynn had tried her best to make ends meet in her life. But with an angry alcoholic husband, a tragic death and a terrified daughter, she wasn’t sure how she was going to cope. It was hard enough to get out of bed sometimes, let alone perform surgery under the influence of 10 antidepressants. But she did, and each time another child died under her watch, she was painfully reminded of her dear Dylan. She grieved every single day, and whenever she cried, her husband’s anger just increased tenfold. His approach to Dylan’s death was to be vengeful, even towards his own wife. Knowing that her marriage had already been fragile, the death of their son put Lynn in an impossible position. She still had feelings for Jeff, but she knew their life would never be the same again. Their love was dwindling by a threat, and as Lynn headed into the hospital for another shift, she stopped for moment to remember the days she could turn to her friend for help.</p><p>On the other side of the bars, Amanda wasn’t doing much better than her former friend. Heroin was her best friend now, and she was one she could always rely on. Even though it wasn’t always easy to obtain, she craved it. It was a wonder she had any veins left to use after five years. She’d attempted to get through prison life without drugs for a year, but ultimately slipped when she discovered a fellow prisoner’s stash of heroin equipment. Hoping that snorting the powder would be enough, Amanda soon realized the only way to relieve her pain was to directly inject it, helplessly giving into the one substance that could destroy her. In prison, she could control her addiction and fuel it, but when she had served her time, it was a lot harder to cope. Out on the streets, she quickly fell back into bad habits, her previous dumpster diving not forgotten. She’d assumed that Lynn had moved on now, she wouldn’t be around to help her through the harder nights. She’d thought about the older woman very often, still curious if she was sticking by Jeff. Even wanting to know the smallest details about her kids, she was desperate for a friend. On her third day of freedom, she looped through the old streets that she used to frequent in hopes that she would find her old friend. As if fate was smiling down on her that night, she found a husk of her former friend, curled up on the mouldy cardboard crying her heart out.</p><p>“Lynn?” Amanda knelt down, cupping the face of the now ruined Lynn. Feeling familiar cold hands on her skin, Lynn looked up as her tears ran down her face in small waterfalls. Who was this woman, wearing tight black jeans and a purple tank top in the middle of winter? Amanda’s hair had grown out, falling down her back in a brown haze, and her eyes were ghastly in their dilation. Even before she moved into the light to get a better look, Lynn could see the needle marks in her arms.</p><p>“Amanda……Where the fuck have you been?!” Lynn growled angrily, gripping her arms in desperation. Chuckling lightly, Amanda knew she wouldn’t be welcomed back with open arms, far from it.</p><p>“I was in jail….” Casting her eyes to the cobbled floor, Amanda tried to hide her shaking limbs, but she needed a release. All the emotion was too much, and despite her happiness to see her old friend again, her mind flickered back to the needle.</p><p>“You’re in withdrawal, aren’t you? Don’t fucking lie to me, Mandy.”</p><p>“I’m not!”</p><p>“Yeah, right. I’m taking you to the clinic.” Lynn stood up and gripped Amanda’s wrist, the same grip she’d employed before when she meant business. Whether or not Amanda was lying about being in jail, Lynn wasn’t prepared to let her crawl through the streets, begging for heroin. She knew the depths people would go to for drugs, she’d already lost her mother to drugs and having Amanda’s woes on her mind finally compacted the loss she felt for her son. Amanda screamed for the entire journey, until they reached the clinic. As soon as Lynn dragged her inside, she bolted for the toilet and threw up heavily into the bowl. Lynn held her hair back as she spewed, clicking her fingers urgently to get the attention of the kind blonde lady who worked there.</p><p>Without any ulterior motives and genuine concern for Amanda, Lynn had accidently placed herself in the line of fire, with Jill and John Kramer.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Tricky Tribulations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hi everyone! Okay so I planned to make this two parts, but a lot of this second chapter is just the canon saw movies, and the last chapter will be the one i've created, I just needed to do some backtracking of Lynn's involvement and such, because the third chapter is completely non-canon, and I will finally reveal what Lynn told the cops. Please enjoy! :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lynn Denlon had never understood the concept of loyalty. She’d only ever been loyal to her husband and her children, with some exceptions to her job. But Amanda was different, she’d scraped her lifeless body out of the streets at 16, with little changing 10 years later. There was an evident drug dependency now, but the years they had spent apart had warped both of them forever. Lynn knew as she held a shaking mess in her arms, she’d have more to deal with than she bargained for. Leaving Amanda to empty the remains of her stomach, Lynn approached the young blonde and sighed deeply.</p><p>“Hello. My friend……I haven’t seen her for a while. But she has needle marks on her arms, and she’s pale and sweaty. I thought this was the best place for her…” Lynn’s frown lines were so prominent that Jill patted her shoulder, smiling sympathetically.</p><p>“We’ll take care of her. Here at Homeward Bound, we always ease our patients through addiction. She’s in safe hands.” Jill reassured her, but Lynn couldn’t help stare at the patients in the waiting room. It was full of people similar in appearance, like clones of Amanda. All shaking and complaining about their next dose of methadone. One man in particular caught Lynn’s eye, and she could tell that he was trouble from first glance. He was the only one sitting quietly and patiently, with a strange smirk across his face. His eerie behaviour cast chills through Lynn’s body, and she blinked wildly as she stared back at Jill.</p><p>“Will you give her this number please? I need to know if she’s going to be okay, she’s important to me.” Lynn scribbled down her number on a piece of paper and slipped it into Jill’s pocket. Not wanting to linger much longer, she ran outside to catch her breath, rummaging in her bag as she did so. Another pill, another brief moment of relief. It was ironic that she’d referred her friend to a drug clinic, when she herself was popping an entire strip of antidepressants every day. She’d also been caught off guard, overwhelmed that Amanda had finally returned, but mortified at her new condition. With Amanda in the clinic, she made her way home and hoped that Jill would contact her soon, awaiting news of her friend’s recovery.</p><p>Little did she know, Lynn’s efforts to save her friend were in vain. Two months into her new treatment at the clinic, and Amanda found herself in a worse condition than when she went in. She’d been given a new substance to supress her longing for heroin, but the masking agent was only a means to an end. She missed the feel of cold metal entering her skin, and the patients at the clinic reminded her of her cellmates. It was like being locked up all over again, and it was the loneliness that drove her to befriend Cecil. Cecil, the man that would sit and smile suggestively at the staff, his sick smile curling like a dog in heat when Amanda paid him a little attention. They became very close, so much so that Amanda start to decline in her progress. Cecil had been avoiding many prison sentences, and with his experience to deceive, came his hidden “gifts.” It started small, offering Amanda cigarettes for a kiss on the cheek. The smoke made her cough, and she didn’t care for the taste, but she didn’t know that the ultimate temptation would require stronger measures. Amanda hated prostituting herself more than anything, but she tried to play it down by pretending the two of them were in a relationship. Cecil often thought with his dick, and Amanda soon realized that she could use that to her advantage. But when Jill caught on to their game, she was quick to understand that they weren’t making any progress at all. Amanda had shown glimmers of hope, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the addiction. She told John as much, upset that she’d identified a lost cause, but unsure of how to proceed. It was harder to phone Lynn and tell her the news, the news that Amanda was caught up with another addict and going downhill. Lynn had suspected as much, troubled that Amanda hadn’t called her at all in the last few months. Hearing she had an unscrupulous boyfriend only added to her concerns, but both women could never have predicted what would happen next.</p><p>Even though Cecil had been a bad influence on Amanda, he had managed to help her rent an apartment and give her a stable place to live between clinic visits. It was the false security that Amanda’s drug addled mind had developed that led her to turn against the clinic, staging a robbery in the dead of night. Whilst she was driving, it was Cecil that had the doubts for a change. Whilst he claimed that Jill had been good to them, all Amanda could see was the delicious white needle. She was angry, furious that the clinic had tried to supress her longing. The methadone was completely useless, and as the car approached the clinic, she exited with Cecil and urged him to commence with their plans. Cecil hid in the shadows, targeting a heavily pregnant Jill. It was never part of the plan to kill her baby, and true to his slimy nature, Cecil fled as soon as he committed the act. He left Jill to bleed out, and Amanda had finally understood the ramifications of her desperation. In the struggle, she’d been left indirectly responsible for Gideon’s death, and as she sat crying and shaking in the shadows, she pulled out a number that she hoped she’d never have to call.</p><p>The days that followed Gideon’s death were not just traumatic for Amanda, but for Lynn too. She sat nursing Amanda for hours, trying to get an audible word out of her. Amanda just sat shaking violently, mascara running down her face and her screams eventually fading to silence. Lynn brought her a hot drink and sat down beside her, gently stroking her face.</p><p>“Amanda. Tell me what happened.” Lynn knew nothing, only the strangled words that Amanda had uttered over the phone which begged her to come and get her.</p><p>“H-He’s dead…”</p><p>“Who’s dead, Amanda?”</p><p>“T-The baby……” Although Lynn could barely hear Amanda’s hoarse words, her ears registered the last syllables. She knew of Jill’s pregnancy, through their daily phone calls regarding Amanda’s condition. But the information wasn’t enough, and Lynn edged Amanda to continue the story.</p><p>“T-The baby…….he……Cecil…..killed….” Amanda’s words were enough to begin a misunderstanding that would impact her forever. Lynn kissed her forehead and promised that she would be safe, still planning to use the information. When Amanda had finally laid down to rest on Lynn’s makeshift bed, she mad her way to the police station, and met another pawn in the game.</p><p>“Excuse me, Detective? I have a crime to report.” Lynn tapped the counter as she prepared to lose Amanda, again.</p><p>When Amanda found out about Lynn’s betrayal, she refused to contact her again. She had only turned to Lynn as a last resort, and knowing that she couldn’t look at Cecil anymore, she fell into another emotional breakdown. But, she wasn’t aware that one man had been keeping an eye on her and Cecil, and he had another method of rehabilitation for her. John wasted no time in testing Amanda, but he would remain oblivious to Gideon’s fate until one fateful day that had been written for them, far in the future. With her success in the reverse bear trap, John soon began to understand that Amanda was not a lost cause as Jill had claimed, but simply needed to understand and experience his philosophy to get better. Amanda started to show signs of major improvement, and her intelligence started to take reign over her impulsive actions. Heroin was just a minor memory, and her attentions turned to helping her leader, the man that pulled her out of addiction. Not even Lynn was strong enough to help, despite having known her for over 10 years. But Amanda was on borrowed time yet again, soon finding another mental flaw in her design.</p><p>For the most part of her life, Amanda was very happy. She had a father, someone she could finally turn to and help. It wasn’t until the first game, that she started to realize that her relationship with John was unconventional. He asked her to kidnap and subdue Adam, which took one chunk of stability out of her. The second chunk took a lot of her mental stamina, and she wouldn’t have done it, not if Lawrence hadn’t begged her to. A mercy kill, to a sweet man that had asked to take her picture once. Her first murder wasn’t easy, but her second task was even harder. Blend into a house full of dangerous criminals, and save the son of the man who framed her. Daniel Matthews was a sweet kid, but it was the sweet ones that always broke her heart. After the nerve gas house, Amanda’s mental instability started to turn into irritation. She no longer cared about Daniel’s fate after his rescue, and she cared even less about Eric Matthews. He was supposed to be her first official test subject, but her failure led to John and Mark clearing up her forgotten mess. If only Eric had told Amanda the truth, he would’ve spared both of them, not to mention the woman behind it all. Alas, Amanda continued her work, whittling down her compassion as she went.</p><p>John could see Amanda’s downfall from her witty comments, to her tension with Mark. He even stood by idly when she slit her wrists, simply berating her actions when all she needed was a hug, some emotional comfort. He was blind to her struggle, clearing up her mistakes but failing to give her the one thing she desperately longed. As emotion was a sore area for him, he preferred to talk to a man without any emotion at all. He did feel sympathetic to Amanda, but he knew it was hindering her performance. Creating traps that didn’t allow a subject to escape, even if they completed their task. First Troy, then Alison, to countless others. Even Eric Matthews, who he’d found in a bloodied heap on the floor. He knew that he was all Amanda had, and her obsession with him was beginning to become dangerous. For a man who believed that everything had to be done without emotion or vengeance, it was hard to contain an emotional spark. Not that he favoured Mark’s brutal methods either, and he knew one day the two of them would come to hate one another.</p><p>Unfortunately for Amanda, she knew Mark was a crucial piece in the games. It was perhaps her disdain and loathing towards him that caused her to attach emotionally to John, and Lynn wasn’t around anymore to talk to. She had no idea that at the pivotal moment of her emotional trauma, she would cross paths again with Dr Denlon again. John knew that Amanda had been admitted to Homeward Bound by Lynn, which only made her even more important in the game. That was the day that Lawrence brought John her picture, suggesting she would be perfect for his surgery. Lawrence didn’t want to hurt Amanda, but he was unaware of the connection between her and Lynn. John decided not to tell him, and instead went through his plan as usual. His condition was deteriorating, and knowing that Amanda would dote over his care, he sprung it on her and knew she would deny all knowledge of knowing her. Instead, Mark helped with the heavy lifting, and when John told Amanda to collect Lynn from the hospital, she nodded and set about the game that would change everything.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Part 3 is coming very soon :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Lynn's Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hi everyone! Omg i've been trying soooo hard to get this done, I hope you enjoy it! Very long chapter ahead, and i've had to extend it again for another chapter. Chapter 4 will be up soon, and if you're just wanting to read the smut that will be in the 4th one! Anyway, kudos to you all!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The words “it’s time to get Dr Denlon from the hospital” still echoed in Amanda’s head as she stealthily avoided detection down busy halls. She knew the risks of the task, yet she still followed through, for John’s sake. She had hidden her discomfort well, pretending that Lynn was just another stranger. When she first attended the clinic, she hadn’t noticed that Jill was married to John, and was in too much of a state to realize that John could learn of her connection to Lynn. Amanda wasn’t even sure what their connection was anymore. Friends? Old friends? Acquaintances? None of her questions were answered as she snuck into the hospital changing room, hiding behind a locker as she waited for her victim to arrive.</p><p>Smoothing her hair behind her ears, Lynn headed towards the changing room to collect her things and head home. It had been such a long day, and another surgery on another little boy was a painful trigger. When she reached her locker, she received a comforting hello from her antidepressants. She held a hand up to examine the creases on the bridge of her nose, exhaling a day’s worth of air. No amount of sighs in the world could remove the feeling of misery, and a dozen messages from Jeff only warranted an eye roll. As she stripped from her scrubs into fresh clothes, she held her phone with hesitation before flipping the screen down and shoving it into her pocket. From the corner of her eye, she stood still as she noticed a black shadow moving without cause. At first she assumed it was a colleague, but it became apparent from the reflection in her locker that it was something far more sinister. With one swift motion, Lynn’s eyes widened in horror as a needle was shoved into her neck, rendering her next movements useless. She swayed uncontrollably, catching a glimpse of a pig mask as she was caught by an unknown figure.</p><p>The next room Lynn found herself in was soaked with the stench of unknown flesh and festering fear. It was so cold, and her head span with the previous sedation. She was aware of her position, currently placed in a wheelchair with her hands restrained, and someone wheeling her into further darkness. The drug had knocked her out, but now she was beginning to wake up, wondering if it would’ve been a better alternative to just feign unconsciousness. Whilst the effects of the drug had left her groggy, the world started to shift into focus and she fought against her restraints, shouting the occasional curse word. It didn’t take her long to become agitated, but as she was pushed into a room oozing with yellow, the situation turned sour. An aging, sickly patient lay on the bed in front of her, removing his oxygen mask as he greeted her.</p><p>“Hello Dr Denlon. You may not remember me, but I most certainly remember you. I was a guest at your hospital once.” The man paused, taking a sip of water offered by his female carer. Lynn looked around desperately, still unaware of the identity of either person.</p><p>“W-Where am I?”</p><p>“Do you remember me?” The man glanced at his carer once again, ignoring Lynn’s question as the other woman dropped a pad of paper into the doctor’s lap. Looking down at the files given to her, Lynn focused on two particular names.</p><p>
  <em>Lawrence Gordon. John Kramer. </em>
</p><p>“I’ve seen you on television. Lawrence Gordon was your doctor.” Slowly but surely, Lynn was beginning to regain her cognitive abilities, the previous impairment forgotten.</p><p>“I was his patient, and he was mine.” John croaked, still holding the mask close to his face. His eyes never left Lynn’s as Amanda left the room behind them.</p><p>“As you can see from that report, my prognosis isn’t good. Would you agree?” Still staring at the young doctor, Lynn picked out large clumps of text from his medical report, immediately wanting to say yes, but opting for the medical analysis.</p><p>“There’s no preventative treatment for what you have.”</p><p>“I remember you saying that to me once before, almost in that exact same tone. Leave it to a doctor to find such a cold, clinical way of saying I’m a dead man walking.” Pausing for a brief moment, John knew that Lynn’s coldness was a result of her depression, yet he still continued. He asked her for an opinion, on his current medical state, and was left angry with her clinical responses. It wasn’t until Lynn started speaking in lifeless medical terms, that he snapped and berated her for her actions. Neglecting her daughter, abandoning her husband, taking antidepressants and ultimately abusing her privilege. It wasn’t until Lynn had finally grown so terrified, that she decided to take action.</p><p>“What do you want from me?” She seethed.</p><p>“What do I want? I want to play a game.” John replied, tilting his head as Amanda returned and ran a cool flannel over his head.</p><p>“The rules of the game are simple, the consequences of breaking them are great. Death. Your will to keep someone alive is being tested, can you do that? Will you grant someone the gift of life?”</p><p>As John continued his explanation, Amanda snapped a collar around Lynn’s neck. It wasn’t until she came close with a sneer, that Lynn finally recognised her. Lynn had seen the news, so she knew of Amanda’s involvement, but it was a different sensation to see her in the role up close. Her eyes were dark and unforgiving, paired with ruby red lips and thick hair, Lynn knew she was dressed to kill. Amanda: The vulnerable homeless girl turned jigsaw apprentice. Even though she could still hear John speaking in the background, her eyes followed Amanda’s every move. Her heart dropped, her throat was constricting with the same sympathy she’d felt for Amanda years ago. The one factor that dazzled her, was how healthy Amanda looked. No bones sticking out of pale sickly skin, or dark circles under her eyes. Her needle marks were still there, but they’d faded into the purple gloss of Amanda’s veins.</p><p>“The device that you’re wearing is linked to my heartrate monitor. The second that heartrate monitor flatlines or you move out of range, an explosion will go off in that collar. Your life, and my life, will end simultaneously.” John could almost sense Lynn’s distraction, and his firm voice snapped her attention back to him. Amanda also confirmed his explanation, warning Lynn that she wouldn’t remove her collar unless she followed through with the requests. Lynn nodded, willing to do anything if it meant she could speak to Amanda. She got her chance, cornering the young woman by grabbing her arm in the other room.</p><p>“Don’t do this, Mandy.”</p><p>“Let go of me, Lynn. I’m not the same person you knew.”</p><p>“I don’t believe that.”</p><p>“John helped me, he got me off the drugs. He taught me the importance of-“</p><p>“Stop it. He used you, Amanda.”</p><p>“That’s not true….”</p><p>“He only got you clean to use you for his fucked up games! He doesn’t care about you!” Lynn jumped slightly as Amanda glared up at her, her words cutting deeper than a knife. She wasn’t aware of Amanda’s feelings towards John, and gasped loudly as Amanda shoved her against the wall.</p><p>“You shut the fuck up right now.” Amanda growled angrily, using her legs to pin Lynn to the wall. Trembling slightly, Lynn reached out and cupped Amanda’s face cautiously, like a lion tamer trying to pet the toughest female.</p><p>“You look so different….”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Furrowing her eyebrows, Amanda’s eyes followed Lynn’s ministrations as she stroked her cheeks.</p><p>“I remember the day I met you. You were so small, so timid. But you’re such a strong woman now, why are you letting John hurt you?”</p><p>“It’s not like that…”</p><p>“Then what are these?!” Lynn regained a little of her confidence and gripped Amanda’s wrists, pressing gently on her scars. Amanda looked down, seemingly lost for words until Lynn shook her hard.</p><p>“What kind of leader does this?! Has he ever even asked you if you’re okay, Amanda?!” Feeling Amanda crumbling in her hands, Lynn bit her lip as she panted from her outburst. Even though John might not have cut Amanda’s skin, she could tell that he’d inflicted worse cerebral damage on her than even he was experiencing. There were small scars on Amanda’s lips that Lynn could only see when she titled the taller woman’s head upwards, staring into her tear-filled eyes.</p><p>“Amanda, are you okay?” Lynn collected a few of Amanda’s delicate tears on the end of her thumb, hearing the answer before she spoke.</p><p>“No.” Amanda fell forward, immersing herself into Lynn’s cotton shirt. She wept into her shoulder, lacing her arms around Lynn’s back as she felt a tighter grip from the older woman. Lynn stroked her hair as she cried, wishing that she’d never let Amanda get involved in everything. She wasn’t her responsibility, and yet she could bare to pull away from her. It was possibly misplaced faith, but she held Amanda as close as she humanly could, wary of the collar.</p><p>“Hey. I’ll keep John alive, but I’m not letting this continue. When this is over, you’re coming home with me, Amanda.” Lynn smiled softly.</p><p>“What…….what the fuck does that mean?”</p><p>“Just……trust me. I’m going to examine John, stay here.” Lynn kissed her forehead, vanishing into the previous room to start her game.</p><p>***</p><p>True to her word, Lynn tried her best to keep John alive during the toughest time of her and his life. Amanda got Lynn anything she needed, and whilst the brain surgery wasn’t easy, she hoped that John would stay alive. Not even for her own sake anymore, for Amanda’s. After the skull extraction, John’s state declined temporarily, but when he came around, he grabbed Lynn’s wrist.</p><p>“Dr Denlon.” He uttered.</p><p>“Yes, John?”</p><p>“I need you to be honest with me now, whilst Amanda isn’t here.”</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“I know that you took Amanda to the clinic. You’ve been trying to help her from a very young age, haven’t you?” John’s words left Lynn shocked again, she didn’t know anyone had been monitoring her.</p><p>“Yes. I know the clinic didn’t make a difference, but I don’t think you should be teaching her this….”</p><p>“Lynn. Forget your anger. I know you don’t understand my philosophy, but there’s something I need from you.”</p><p>“I haven’t given you enough already?”</p><p>“Please. For Amanda’s sake.” John reached underneath his bed and gestured for Lynn to bend down. She followed, and saw John’s finger pressed against a red folder.</p><p>“If she succeeds……take this. I know you want to protect her, and she needs to know.” Even though his words were cryptic, Lynn nodded and squeezed his hand. They stayed entwined for a few moments, before Amanda returned and sat beside John.</p><p>“He’s finished his final test.” She declared, staring into space for a few moments. All three of them seemed to be holding their breath, until John took Amanda’s hand.</p><p>“Amanda, it’s time. Let Dr Denlon go now.” He coughed, letting go of Lynn’s hand as he turned to his follower. Despite the small bouts of jealously throughout the game, Amanda couldn’t shake the feeling of weakness whenever she looked at the doctor. She’d not thought fondly of her friend for a while, partially blaming her for Cecil, but also forgiving her for showing care. She didn’t know that Lynn wasn’t responsible for Cecil’s disappearance at all, and John had tried so hard to drill the emotion out of her. Hesitantly, she walked over and unlocked Lynn’s collar, barely speaking as she did so. Lynn had been certain that Amanda would free her, but even so, she launched at the younger woman to embrace her gratefully. Amanda held her tightly, staring curiously back at John’s elated face.</p><p>“Well done Amanda. I knew that you’d succeed. Take Lynn outside, we have to continue our game.” Shifting uncomfortably, John held out the red folder he’d previously shown Lynn, ushering it into her hands as he coughed.</p><p>“John……I love you.” Amanda kissed his hand, sniffling slightly. She knew that John would be dead soon, that was always part of the plan. John ruffled her hair and smiled softly, kissing her hand back before pushing it into Lynn’s grip.</p><p>“Go. Goodbye Amanda.” Nodding at both women, Lynn had to drag a reluctant Amanda outside before she changed her mind.</p><p>“Lynn, there’s one last thing I have to do. Wait here, please.” Amanda fled back inside, immediately heading for Corbett’s hiding place as Lynn stood on the cobbles. Unable to hold back her curiosity, she opened the folder and started reading the first document. She felt her throat dry up once more, reading the letter that lay in her hands.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dear Amanda,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You are perhaps one of the most remarkable women I have ever met. You have produced rehabilitation devices beyond my wildest dreams, and helped countless people value their lives. That being said, I know you have abused your subjects. Creating traps with no alternative but death, taking away their one chance of survival. This is not something I can forgive, but I know that you are in safe hands with Lynn. I want her to teach you the error of your ways, because if you do not learn, you will forever be vengeful. I am sorry for deceiving you, my dear Amanda, but please know that what I’m about to tell you, will hurt. I want you to read this and understand what I am asking of you, act immediately and on my behalf. Then I will leave you with free reign over your designs, and a chance to live a life of your choosing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eric Matthews is not responsible for your arrest. When Lynn visited the police station after Gideon’s death, she met a Detective and told him that Cecil was responsible. She wanted to protect you, but instead she led you to me. But, she was not aware that this particular Detective already knew you. Learning of your association with Cecil, Mark Hoffman put you in my eyeline. Both of us already knew your history in prison, your tendency to use drugs. But the one thing wrong with this timeline, is Eric Matthews. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When Eric was starting as a cop, you know that he used fake evidence to get his convictions. But what you didn’t know, is that he wasn’t working alone. He was so desperate to impress his superiors, that he took advice from one. Mark Hoffman planted the evidence. Mark Hoffman pushed your conviction. Eric was but a mere pawn in his agenda, and he should never have been in your sights. I am eternally sorry for keeping this from you, but I knew that Lynn was watching over you. It wasn’t until I knew Cecil’s crimes, that I could tell you. Amanda, I’m asking you to do the right thing. Use this information, wisely. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>-John. </em>
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